Check-writer.



F F. SCHRDDER.

CHECKWRITER.

APPLICATIUI! mm m. 2. ms.

Patented J uly 2, I918;

F. F. SCHRODHL CHECK WRETER,

APPucAHoN HLED FEB, 2. 1915.

Patented July 2; 1918.

3 BHEETSMSHEET 2 5y @M Y Am;

F. F. SCHRODER.

CHECK WRHEB.

APPLICATION FILED rB.2.19|s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ran 1-. seasons, or cnxcneo. ILLINOIS, .Assmuon 'ro rim s'rnwnn'r morseroams oomrm, or cmosoo, rumors, a conronarron or :nnritoxs.

CHECK-WRITER.

Specification of Latte" Patent.

Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed February 2, 1816. Serial ilo. 75,705.

%he purpose of this invention is to pro-' vide a machine for filling in a check, draft,

or like instrument, with words indicating 1 the exact amount for which the instrument is drawn. The machine is designed'to rint a word at each stroke of the operating ever and to automatically feed the rinted sheet afiistance corresponding to the ength of the word printed by each respective stroke. The invention consists in mechanism for accomplishing these results together with other details of construction as described and shown in the drawings and as indicated by the claims. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side-elevation of a check writing machine embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base frame together with certain parts of the mechanism mounted thereon, being taken as a section, as indicated at line, 2-2,' on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken as indicated at line, 33, on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical detail section taken as indicated at line, 4-4, on Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken as indicated at line, 55, on Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the operatin parts shown in Fig. 5, but illustrating sai parts in a difierent position. i

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the 'fe'ed ratchet and its actuating connections. 4

Fig. 8 is a detail section taken as indicatcd atline, 8-8, on Fig. 5.

The mechanism of this machine is mounted partly in the base frame, 1, and partly in a housing, 2, carried by said base frame, 1, and extending over it to form a clearance space or throat-way, 3, to accommodate'the c 180k or draft which is to be operated upon by the machine.

6, which is rotativcly mounted in the housmg, 2, as best shown in Fi '5. The base frame, 1, carries a work tab e, 7, apertured at 7, to permit the platen, 4, to be moved up through the aperture, 7', under the check for cooperatibn with the type wheel, 6. The type wheel, 6, isformed with characters 6,

constituting words extending over the ace of the whee in directions parallel to its axis,

each word occupyingaseparete position on 4 the wheel for separate and selectivel gegistratlon-with the platen member, 4. As 1ndicated in-Fig. 4, the face of the t 0 characters, 6', is serrated or corruga and the cooperati face of the platen, 4, is corresponding y corrugated so that the paper of the check or draft operated u on by the machine will not only be printed ut will be somewhat corrugated, and the fiber of the paperwill be sufliciently broken to permit the printing ink to soak into the broken edges so as to effectively dye the paper throughhnd through.

Associated with the type wheel, 6, but mounted outside the housing, 2, is an ad justlng wheel or knob, 8, carrying on its periphery, 8, a series of characters correspondmg respectively to the words on the type Wheel, and cooperating with the staindex fin er, 9. For convenience,

tionard'y the-a justing kno 8, is not co-axial with the typewheel, 6, but is mounted on :1 arallel axis and connected with the ty e w eel 6, by spur gears, 8 and 6 whic are 0 equal size so that one rotation of the adjusting knob, 8, causes exactly one rotation of the t e wheel, 6. Thus will be understood t at at any given position of the type wheel, 6, the character on the periphery, 8, or the adjusting knob standing in registrationwith the 1ndex,f9, indicates [the word which is positioned to cooperate with the The printing couple comprise a corrugated platen member, 4, car-' ried in'onc end of the platen lever, 5, which is fulcrumed in the base frame, 1, (as indi cated in F15. 2) and a type wheel or drum,

a bent portion, 11, adapted to platen member, 4, for ilrinting. On one end of the w eel or drum, 6, there is formed rigid with it, a disk having a-Beries of tee' 10,- which are sharply pointed and spa apart by intervening notches at angular distances from pint to point of the.

teeth correspond to e distances between successive lmes 0 type, 6, on the face of the drum, and at any given position, the drum, 6, is held in approximate adjustment for printing by means of a fletspring member, 11, carried by the housing, 2,and

3 pin,'15.

Spr n ing members, 4 and in,

40 with it the pin, 16, permits the lock the 'ty wheel,

, \Afterthis t e downw'er movement of the 55' link,"-13j Fig.1) by the'distancc between the lug, 14!, and illi: piinflll.

so lspring; 18, retu ms npprtnrimateI i to its correct position for rmtmg as adjusts it by turning the 110b, 8, to bring the desired character at 8, into registration with the index,-9.

After the check or draft has been inserted n in the throat-way 3, and the type wheel, (l,'

has beenadjustew for printing-the desired word, the platen member, 4, is moved up for cooperation with the type wheel, 6, by depression of a hand lever, 12, full-ruined on 15 the casin 2,.end actuating the platen lcver,

5, 'throug 1 a thrust link, 13, clearly shown in Fig. 5. Since the corrugations of the type faces at 6, and also of the platen mom 1 her, 4,,e1re s 1 htly oblique or spiral with re spect to the rum, (hit 15 important that the registration between the type, 6", and the platen member-,4, be quite accurate and also safe from disturbance during the printing action. To insure this, the pointed teeth,

:5 1fl,are squared down to form approximately purallelhided notches between each pair of teeth, and a lockin dog-1 having a tip or point, 14', fitting t ese notches, is pivotally mounted in the housing, 2, on a fulcrum A"laterallvprojocting lug or pin, 16, onthe thrust'link, 13, extends normally justf'under a hook or lug, 1 3;", on an arm, 1420f the dog, 14, so that when the hand lever, 12, is in its upper position and the are separated, the pin, 16,'-serves to hold the dog, 14, out

of engagement- With the drum, U; but its soon as the hand lever, 12, is depressed, thedowir ward movement of the link, 13, carrying be moved by its controllingspring, 17, a position'in which its point, ll, engages be tween the teeth, 10, as sliown in Fig. ll, com siderably before the downward movement of the lever, 12, is completed and before the engagement of the platen, l. wheeh'fi. If the wheel, fl, is not; quite ac curately adjusted by the centering spring, 11, the beveled point, 14, of the dog, 14, will with the type '50 correct the adjustmcntan it enters the notch between the teeth, 10, and then entering more deeply into the notch will positively 6 against rotation.

continues fora distance indicated Pressure upon the levor, 12, being reliever] after the"completion of the printing stroke, a heavy roti'actin r the parts to their initia psition shown in Fig. 5.

"During this return movement of the parts,

the paper which j ust been operated upon is fed ovcrthe table, 7, in a direction parallel 5 to the axis of the type wheel, 6. The feedin number to the words ries the dog, 14, and is dog, 14, to.

feet of the dog,

, ing movement is effected by means of a pair of ri 'idly connected feed wheels, 19, having lmur ed or otherwise roughened surfaces against which the paper is held by a spring pressed idler roller, 20, shown in Fig. 4. The wheels, 1!), are rigidly mounted on one end of a shaft, 21, journalvd in bearings, 1 and 1*, formed integrally with the frumo, 1, and said shaft, 21, carries at its opposite end a ratchet wheel. A plate, 225, pivot-- ally mounted on the shaft, 21, alongside the ratchet wheel, J2, carries a pawl or feed dog, 154, adapted to engage the ratchet teeth; said plate, 23,'is pivot-ally coupled in the lower end of a reciprocating member, 25. carried in a slide b(f2lIlll,Q at 26. and lormcd at its lower end with a slotted foot, 25, engaging in its slot a crank pin, 23, on the plate, 23. As the words coi'istitulinn the different lines of type, 6, on the type drum, 6, are o f various lengths, it is desirable that the paper shall be fed various distances, corresponding in each instance to the length of the word which has just been printed by the printing couple. To accomplish this there is shown on the end of the printing drum, 6, a spacing cam, 27, formed with an irregular periphery composed of a series of shoulders corresponding or lines of type, 6, carried by the drum, 6, and corresponding in radial position to the length of said lines respectively. A spacing dog, 28, is loosely carried on the some fulcrum pin which carrovided with a spring, 29, tending to pul it into engage ment with the periphery of the cam, 27. The dog, 28, is in the form of aboll. crank having 'a yoke, 28, engaging the fulcrum pin, 15, and an arm, 28", which carries the crank pin, 28, engaging a slot in the head, of the vertically reciprocatingmember, A control pin, 30, projecting laterally from the thrust link, 13, engages the upper end or :1 slot, 28, in the arm, 28", of the-hell crank dog, 28, thus blocking the movement of the don until the link, 13, moves downward as the actuating lever, 12, is depressed. As

v ling pin, 30, under the influence of its spring.

2!), which provides the force for moving downward the reciprocating member, 25. This movement continues under the pull of the spring, 29, until it is arrested by conripliery of the spacing cam, 27, at a oint whose radius corresponds to the length of the type line, 6, which stands in position for cooperating with the platen, 4; and since serves to rock the plate, 23, in direction for retracting the ratchet pawl, 24, preparatory to its feeding stroke, the limiting of this movement by the cam, 27, determines the 28, with the irregular pethe downward movement of the member, 25, i 1

number of teeth over which th e pawl, 24, is

moved from its normal position, thus determining the working stroke of the pawl and the distance through which the ratchet wheel, 22, and feed wheels, 1.9, will be retated when the pawl returns to its normal position. rest of the dog, 28, and its connected parts by means of the cam, 27, does not arrest the movement of the thrust link, 1.3, and platen lever, 5, to which it is connected,'but that such movement continues until the platen, at ei'igages the type line, 6, on the druin, 6; t 1e retraction of the parts, as previously indicatcd, is effected by the heavy spring, 18, and as an incident of such retraction the pin, 30, on the link, 13, by engaging the upper end of the slot, 28, positively liftsthe mom.- ber, 25, and with it the plate, 23, carrying the ratchet pawi, 24, thus effecting a meas- 2e ured rotation of the feed wheels, 19, for ad vpncing the paper by the pro er amount For inking the type, 6*, o the printing drum, 6, there are provided two inkin rollers, 31, of suitably absorbent materia and journaled in arms, 32, which are pivot ally supported at 32, on cover plates, 33; and springs, 34, at the pivot, 32, serve to maintain yielding engagement of the ink rollers, 31, with the face of the type wheel. Each of the cover plates, 33, overlies the outer surface of the housing, 2, but is provided at one end with clips, 33, engaging the inner surface of said housing. 'The re.- action of the spring 34, by tendin to force oil the cover plate, 33, at the en carrying the clips, 33", renders the opposite end of each cover plate .a fulcrum which bears strongly against the outer surface of the housing, 2, serving automatically to hold the 40 cover plate in position without any additional securexnent. For convenience of removal, each cover, 33, is provided with a knob, 33", and an ink ad or reservoir, 35, in the form of a smal l drawer carried in the base, '1, is always at hand for ready reinking of the rollers, 31, as required.

For convenience of assembling, most of the moving parts are arranged to, e carried on the base frame 1. For this purpose the frame is shown having a. lu 1", terminitting with uprights, 1, positions to carry the fulcrmh pin, 15, "and the in 36, towbich the springs, 17 and 29, are itched said'pin, 36, being engaged at itsgopposite ends in the opposite lugs, 1*, as seehin-Fig. 3, but by reference to Fig; 6 it will be seen that these uprights, 1, do not extend directly down to the base portion of the frame, 3., but are proiccted up from the lugs, 1", which'extend rwnrdly from their points of ori n onthe Li} and 36, for the purpose of givingflthe .Lmximlllll depth of throat-way at 85,1111 additional'uprigbt. 1., near theresr of the es frame, 1, is provided at its upper end with It will be understood that the arto reach the vertical plane 0 the pins,

a 1ug,.1, to which the heavy retracting spring, 18, is hitched. The type wheel, 6, and its adjusting knob, 8. are ]ournaled 1n the housing, 2, and the actuating lever, 12,

is fulcrunied in suitable lugs, 2, at .the rear 10 of the housing. With these parts properly mounted, and with the remaining parts in place on the base frame, 1, the frame, 1, and the housing, 2, are put together, the thrust link, 13, passing through a slot, 2", 1n po sition for connection with the lever, 12, at the pivot, 12'. The rear of the housin 2, rests upon the bosses, 1, and it IS hel 1n place in its position by large screws, 1, passing upward through said bosses. For addrtional support, the cross-pin, 36, is made hollow and its ends are threaded to receive suitable screws, 37, passing through the side-walls of the housing, 2, in position to register with the tubular pin, 36. Phus a rigid connection between the housing and the base frame is afforded at a point overthe throat-way, 3, so that in spite of the depth of the throatwa y, there is no sacrifice in rigidity of the machine.

Since the type, 6, on the drum, 6, are some little distance above the plane of the table, 7, on which the check or draft will normally lie, it is evident that the paper must be carried upwa (1 against the type wheel bytbe inovemen of the platen member, 4. To prevent smearing of the paper by the lines of type adjacent to the line in action, a shield, 38,,is provided, but its aperture, 38, is made considerably wider than a single line of type, and is provided with downwardly-bent edges at 38", so thatthe paper will be carried up in an easy curve instead of being punched through a smaller aperture by the action of the platen, 4; thus the paper is protected against smearing without being unduly distorted in the print-- ing operation.

For initially positioning the check to bring the printing at the proper line on the paper, and also for assisting in its guidance through the machine. there is provided an adjustable guide, 39, which is a T-shaped member having a guide 'arm 39 extending transversely of the machine, that is, substantially parallel to the axis of the type Wheel, 6, and having alsou mounting; arm. 39". which is carried in a groove, 1*, formed in the base frame, 1, at one side of one of the bosses, 1'. (See Fig. 2). Above the groove, 1*, a clamping wheel, 4:0, is eccentrically mounted on a pivot, 41, supported by being screwed into a boss which projects from the'side of the housing, 2. above the boss, '1', as shown in Flg. 1, and also in Fig. 3, and the surface of this wheel. 40, is preferably knurled so as to be readily engageable by. band. The

eccentricity of the wheel with respect to its pivot, 41,, is such that at one position in its rotation itsperiphery is separated from the top surface of the arm, 39", of the guide member, so that said member is freely adjustable backward or forward as may be desired, and as 100!) as it has l)(:(3n p0Sll3lOll8Cl, it may be clamped in such position by sunply rotating th'cwh'eel, 40, into wedging contact with said arm 39", of the guide. As shown, this arm is formed with a tail-piece, 39", which prevents removal of the guide n'ieniber by forward movement in its groove, 1", and as the transverse arm, 39", serves a similar purpose when the guide is moved in the opposite direction, there is no danger of its becoming lost, even when not clamped firmly in adjustment by the eccentric locking wheel, 40. ()n the same side of the housing, 2, which carries the locking wheel, 40,.for the guide, 39', there is shown an index, 42, which is positioned just forward fthe vertical plane of the axis of the type wheel; 6, so as to register with the usual 'rulcd line on a check or draft when the paper is properly positioned for printing the embossed characters along such'lmes, so that by inserting the check and registering the r'nied line .with its index, 42, the gage or guide, 39, can be properly adjusted quite promptly.

A suitable connection of the lever. 12, with the link, 13, is ii-elerably made as shown in Figs. 5- and 6 by terminating the link, 13, in an enlargement or knob, 13, which is cylindrical throughout more than ISO-degrees, and forming in the hand lever, 12, corresponding socket, 12, cylindrical throughout more than 180 degrees, adapted to receive the cylindrical terminal of the link by lateral insertion. The two members are then retained in connection by flanges, 13", mount ed upon. opposite sides of the terminal, 13, of the lever by means of a rivet. 13, which extends through the center of said terminal, 13, of the link.

I claim 1. A printing machine comprising a base frame, a work-table thereon; a printing nmmber mounted over the work-table; a fixed housing for said printing member positioned over the work-table and need above it to form a work'receiving roatway, said housing being attached to the rear portion of the base frame, and said frame having lugs extending forwardly from the vertical plane f said attachment and overhanging the thr'oatwvay, and means engaging the logs with a part of the housing over said throat-way. i

2,11 a printing machine in combination with a printin mechanism and a work-Bu port, a gage or the work having a sin a stem for mounting it; a guide-way in whlch said stem is slidably' adjustable, and securing means consisting of a circular member eccentrically mounted and havin its riphery exposed and lmurled, whel'e y and tightening of the clamp may be effected by one hand of the operator without grasping the clampinw device. a

3. In eomlination with a rotatably adjustable type wheel, a platen movable toward and from the type wheel for cooperation therewith in printing; a lever whi'h carries the platen; means acting on the lever to withdraw the platen from the type wheel; operating connections for the lever comprising a link connected thereto; a notched locking element .rigid with the type wheel; a locking dog for engaging the locking element; a spring tending to engage the dog with said element, and an abutment on the link and an abutment on the dog which are brou ht into encounter in the direction for withdrawing the dog in the movement of the lever for carrying the platen out of printing position;

4. In combination with a rotatably adj ustable type wheel, a platen movable toward and from the type wheel for coiiperation therewith in printing; a level which carries the platen; operatin connections for the lever comprising a. ink connected to the lover; a, notched locking element rigid with the type wheel; a locking dog for engaging said element; a spring tending to engage the dog with the locking element, and abutments on the link and dog respectively, positioned for engagement/in the movement of the platen out of rinting position for stopping the dog out of engagement with the locking element.

5. In combination with a rotatively adjustable type wheel, a. laten member movable toward and from t e type wheel for 00* operation therewith in printing; a lever which carries the platen; operating connections for the lever comprising a link connected to said lover; a sprin .re-acting on the lever for holding it nornm ly away from the type wheel; a notched locking dislnrigid with the t pe wheel; a locking dog for engaging said element; a a ring tending to on age the dog with the} element the lin and the dog he i to which come into encounter in t e movement of the link for moving the platen from'the type wheel, and whose encounter stops the dog out of engagement with the locking element at the normal position of the platen lever caused by its spring, and means for actuating the platen lever against the resistance of sald sprin for movlng the platen toward the type'w eelr 6. n combination with a rotativel adjustaole type wheel; a platen movabe to ward and from the type wheel for printing; a lover which carries the platen; a spring III which holds the lever normally retracting faces of the wor operatively re-acting for engaging the dog with the locking element; a gage rigi with the type wheel; a gage finger pivoted for cooperation with the gage; a spring re-actin on the gage finger for thrustin it to t e gage; means for actuatin the p aten lever against its spring to move t 1e platen toward the type wheel means moving with the platen lever for withdrawing the dog from the locking element in the platen-retracting movement 7 of the lever; said means being positioned for withdrawing from the dog to allow the dogactuating spring to move the dog for engagement with the locking element in the beginning of the opposite movement of the platen lever; means by which said link stops the gage finger out of range of the gage at said normal position of the 1 platen lever, adapted to release said gage nger for movement under the actuation of its spring toward the gage in the initial movement of the platen toward the t pe wheel; feeding devices, and connections y which they are actuated by the opposite movement of the gage finger in the opposite movement of the platen lever.

7. In a printing machine, mechanism adjustable to print words of different lengths, comprising work-feeding mechanism including a paWl-and-ratehet device; a spring to retract the pawl of said device in preparation for the feeding stroke; a platen for cooperating with the type wheel; a lever which carries the laten; a spring re-acting upon said lever or holding the platen normally removed from the type wheel; operating connection for moving the lever to advance the platen toward the type wheel; a gage rigid with the type wheel; a gage finger springpressed toward the gage; a stop carried by the platenlever-actuat1ng means for limiting the spring-pressed movement of the ga e and positioned to be withdrawn from t e fingerstopping position in the platenadvancin movement of the platen lever, and adapte to positively actuate said fin r in the reverse movement; said gage fin er eing connected with the paw both for its retracting and for its driving movement. 8. In a printing machine, mechanism adjustable to print words of different comprising a type wheel having the type s extending parallel to its axis; a. platen for cooperating with the type wheel in printing; a platen-carryin lever; a, spring acting on the platen lever or norlengths, V

mally holding the platen away from the ty e wheel; lever-actuating means t6 impel t e platen toward the type wheel; a locking element rigid with the type wheel; a locking dog cooperating with said element; a gage rigid with the type Wheel; a gage finger cooperating with the gage; feed mechanism comprising a pawl-and-ratchet device; operating connections between the gage finger and the pawl of said feeding mechanism for giving the pawl both its strokes; connections between the platen lever actuating means and the gage finger, comprising an abutment on said actuating means which in thespringactuated movement of said lever positively retracts the gage finger from the gage, and lostmotion connections between the leveractuating means and the locking dog, comprising-an abutment on said actuating means which encounters the dog in the spring-actuated movement of the lever for withdrawing the dog, and dog to engage the locking element in the reverse movement ofsaid lever.

9. A printing mechanism comprising a rotatabl adjustable type wheel having printing c aracters arranged on its surface in rows of'difi'erent lengths extending substantially parallel to the axis of the wheel a platen member, and actuating means or causin alternate engagement and separation of sai platen and type wheel, a feed 'controlling cam associated with the type wheel having a series of shoulders disposed about the axis of said Wheel at different radial distances therefrom corresponding to the different lengths of the respective rows of printing characters on the wheel; work feeding mechanism comprising a feedwheel and a ratchet wheel rigidly connected together; a ratchet and an actuating member therefor,

and a spacing dog pivotally mounted to swing into engagement with the periphery,

of said cam and operatively connected with said ratchet actuator, together with a, spring tending to move said dog into engagement with said cam; a slot in the dog, and an abutment on the platen-actuatin means normally engaging one end of said s 0t for holdin the dog away from the cam when the printing members are separated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 29th day of January, 1916.

. FRED. F. SCHRODER.

which withdraws to permit the. 

